GPs 'won't be inundated' by new pharmacy report forms

By Tom Moberly, 05 August 2011

GPs will also only be sent forms if an issue is identified that the GP needs to address, Dr Bill Beeby, chairman of the GPC prescribing subcommittee, told GPonline.com.

He said the final version of the form would be easy for GPs to gain information from and would improve patient safety.

The new medicines service forms part of the 2011/2 community pharmacy contract. It is designed to provide early support to patients to ensure they receive the maximum benefit from new medicines they have been prescribed.

The service will be introduced alongside new targeted medicines use reviews (MURs) and strengthened government arrangements as part of a package worth �55m a year in 2011/12 and 2012/3.

The design of the new medicines service forms has been finalised this week ahead of the launch of the service on 1 October.

Dr Beeby said lessons had been learnt from the launch of the MUR service provided by pharmacists. Many GPs thought the original MUR forms were over-long and of little benefit to patients.

?The form will be on one side of paper,? he said. ?GPs won?t be inundated with non-reports.?

Reports would only be sent when the pharmacist identified an issue with a patient initiated on a medicine that the GP needed to deal with, he said. ?For the vast majority you won?t get a piece of paper.?

National Pharmacy Association chief executive Mike Holden said that to maximise the benefits of the new service, it was important that GPs and practice staff understood its benefits and effectively communicate them to patients.

He added: 'The New Medicines Service (NMS) is an opportunity for community pharmacy to demonstrate to commissioners and GPs that we effectively support patients and improve efficiency in the NHS through improved medicines adherence and safety.'

'The research on which the NMS is based tells us that, through appropriate and timely follow up at initiation of treatment, pharmacists can deal with patient concerns and questions in a way which makes it more likely the medicines will be used effectively.'

Four therapy areas will be included in the initial rollout of the new medicines service. They are respiratory disease (asthma and COPD), type-2 diabetes, anticoagulant therapy and hypertension.

Patients who want to receive a NMS must give signed consent for their information to be shared with the GP, PCT and NHS Business Services Authority.

Source: http://www.gponline.com/channel/news/article/1083644/gps-wont-inundated-new-pharmacy-report-forms/

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